Any time a filmmaker takes over a popular horror franchise, there’s going to be apprehension from the fans. Most were certain that the Radio Silence team would do just fine in taking the reins of Scream, but that didn’t stop others from worrying about whether they could create the same thrilling magic as Wes Craven. All of us have that franchise that we hold close like a good friend. So, of course, we tend to get a little protective over how they’re treated.
Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead is one such franchise that has a legion of die-hard fans. I’m one who immediately fell in love with the slapstick-meets-demons world Raimi created. Who doesn’t love Bruce Campbell’s iconic portrayal as Ash Williams, or the filmmaker’s kinetic camerawork that has inspired every generation of directors since? It was a bit of a surprise, then, back when it was announced that Fede Alvarez, not Raimi, would direct a new sequel that turned out to be Evil Dead (2013). He, as the kids say, understood the assignment, though, delivering a wildly bloody crowd-pleaser that you can now watch on Hulu.
What’s Evil Dead (2013) About?
For his Evil Dead film, Alvarez follows a similar plotline to Raimi’s original…with a few crucial twists. This time around, David (Shiloh Fernandez) and others have gathered at a decrepit cabin in the woods to help his sister, Mia (Jane Levy), overcome a heroin addiction. It’s a clever answer for the “why don’t they just leave” crowd, because it gives the characters reason to believe that Mia’s increasingly odd behavior is the result of her going cold turkey. However, as the group soon learns, an even more sinister possession has taken hold of their friend. Those malicious spirits known as the Deadites have once again been conjured by our favorite book of evil, the Necronomicon. And unless David and the others can save Mia’s soul, as well as theirs, they’ll all be dead by dawn.
An Intense Sequel that Rips (and Tears, Bites, Etc.)
Within seconds of Evil Dead, Alvarez establishes a rip-roaring style of intensity that he has become known for. He’s a filmmaker who isn’t shy about getting down and dirty in a pile of guts. Where Raimi’s original trilogy played up the slapstick style humor, Alvarez avoids the comedy altogether. Instead, the film relishes in the exaggerated nature of the bloodshed. Faces are sliced with glass. Arms are sawed off. It rains blood at one point. By the time the film reaches the shocking conclusion, you feel like you’ve survived something…and had a great time doing it.
I’ll never forget seeing Evil Dead during opening weekend at what was once the Arclight in Hollywood (R.I.P.). With each of the gore sequences—achieved through practical effects—the audience cheered like we had just witnessed a big play at the Super Bowl. For some of us, it was our Super Bowl.
Gruesome. Gory. And packing an energy that displays why Raimi picked him in the first place, Alvarez’s Evil Dead sequel still packs one hell of a punch over ten years later.
What did you think of Evil Dead (2013)? Let me know, as always, on Bluesky @werermatt.
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